


Between the Stacks

by ahrupe



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: F/M, Reader Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 11:53:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10386078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahrupe/pseuds/ahrupe
Summary: Reader is Peggy's roommate, and she stumbles across a man asleep in the library.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I am terrible at summaries.

The library was almost dead. Friday night was not usually the time you would choose to study, but this paper was important. For your grades, yes, but also for your pride. You wanted your professor to write a letter of recommendation for an internship, and she had high standards. The topic you had chosen necessitated lots of research, and you were just about ready to start writing. You picked out three books that you thought would support your thesis, and sat down in the aisle to flip through them.   
Someone moved on the other side of the bookshelf, and you had to stop yourself from shouting. The books in your lap had been obscuring a curly head of hair. Whoever it was looked to be deep in focus, so you kept quiet, gathering information. When you were ready to move to a table, you peeked around the corner at the stranger. He was not focusing. He was sleeping.   
“Really, dude?!” You must’ve spoken louder than you intended, because he woke up, the pages of the book he had been resting on sticking to his face.   
“What time is it?” He checked his wrist, and, realizing he was not wearing a watch, looked at you expectantly.   
You suppressed a giggle. “It’s 11:00.”  
“At night?” He scrambled up, shoving his notes into a backpack that, by the looks of it, had a collective total of one strap and one zipper.  
“Why are you so worried?” You found yourself fascinated. Maybe it was because he was the only other person around, or maybe it was because his freckles were the cutest things you had ever seen, but you wanted to know more.  
He stopped. “Actually, I don’t have anywhere to be. I think I’ve been here since noon.” His stomach grumbled loudly. “Yeah, probably noon.”  
You smiled. “You’d better eat something. I study better on a full stomach.”  
“I’ll do that. Thanks…”  
“Y/N.”  
“Y/N,” he repeated contemplatively, “that’s a beautiful name.”   
You didn’t know what to say, so you shrugged and tried not to blush. When you didn’t respond, he nodded and headed out.   
What a strange guy. 

Finals crept up on you slowly, then all at once. You spent an inordinate amount of time in the library, telling yourself it was a better place to work. Of course, you couldn’t deny that you kept an eye out for the sleeping stranger. But you were definitely there for work. Mostly.  
Your studying paid off, your professor promised a letter of recommendation, and you were finally ready to let loose. The largest frat on campus was having a party the day before break, and your roommate Peggy was dragging you along. She wouldn’t accept anything less than the shortest dress you owned, despite the fact that it was the dead of winter.   
“You’ll warm up once we get there,” she promised.   
You certainly felt warm once you knocked back the shots Peggy had placed on your desk while you were doing your hair. She was on the phone with her sister, updating her on the events of the week. She hung up as you stood and moved to put on your coat.  
“How is Eliza?”  
Peggy shrugged. “She’s okay. Alexander’s living with her again.”  
You rolled your eyes. Peggy had told you all about him. Eliza had been in your room when you arrived, unpacking boxes. She was one of the sweetest people you knew, and even though she was far away you felt protective of her. Peggy had been upset when she couldn’t be there to comfort Eliza, but they had worked together to make lots of silly videos to cheer her up. They had even tried to make cookies, but the dorm oven was so old that it burnt them to a crisp. When you had sent photos of the blackened blobs, Angelica had assured them that someone named Thomas was making sure they were well-fed.   
“You get to see her soon though, right? She’s coming home for break?”  
“Yeah. We’re picking Angelica up at the airport together.” She locked the door behind you, pinning her key to her bra strap. 

The house was already full when you arrived, and you held on to Peggy’s hand as she wove her way through to the kitchen. She was good friends with a few of the members, and came to almost every party, so she was greeted with cheers and offers of drinks. You gladly accepted a cup, tapping your glass to Peggy’s and chugging it.   
As someone was refilling your cup, you heard Peggy yell, “John!” She ran over and wrapped her arms around his neck excitedly.  
“Hey, you’re the guy from the library,” you said, trying hard to sound casual.  
“You know each other?” Peggy beamed, looking between the two of you.  
“Yeah, Y/N here saved me from permanent neck injury.” Peggy’s eyebrows shot up, and he clarified, “I fell asleep in a weird position, for like, a long time, and she got me up before it was too late.”  
“In the library, nonetheless,” you finished, smiling up at him. His hair was pulled back into a bun and his face was flushed from drinking, and he couldn’t have looked more beautiful if he tried.   
“So, your name is John,” you said as Peggy left. “We were never properly introduced.”  
He held out his hand to shake. “John Laurens. I live here,” he gestured upstairs. “I just transferred here this year, and the guys were nice enough to help me find a place to stay.”  
“Looks like it’s the place to be.”  
He laughed. “It sure is.”  
“Laurens,” a voice yelled from the other room, “we need you on our team, now!”   
“Duty calls. I’ll find you after, yeah?” You nodded, watching him go. He was good from the back too.  
You turned to find Peggy, and saw her across the room, her tongue down the throat of a stunning brunette, hands on her ass. She did have a type. Resigning yourself to the fact that Peggy would not be coming home that night, you poured and extra strong drink and went off to find John’s beer pong game. 

“This is it. We can do this.” John looked his partner in the eye. “Do not blow this for us.”   
You watched as they threw their balls at the exact same time, landing in the only two cups left. The crowd around them cheered, and the music hit a fever pitch. John spotted you, striding over with the confidence of someone who had just closed a billion-dollar business deal.  
“Not to brag, but we just made house history.” He spread his arms wide, high-fiving the people around you.  
“I don’t know how to deal with being in the presence of such greatness,” you mocked, placing your hand on his chest.   
He wrapped his hand around your own, holding it steady. “A dance would be enough.” He led you to the mass of people in his living room, placing his hands on your hips. You finished your drink and put your cup on a side table, wrapping your arms around his neck.  
“You’re surprisingly sober for what I’ve seen you drink,” he mused, his hands drifting to your ass.  
You nodded, playing with the tiny hairs that drifted out of his bun. “I can hold my own.”  
“Can you now?” His eyes twinkled, and you stepped closer, pressing your bodies together, meeting his challenge. He leaned down, lips ghosting yours.   
You heard the telltale sound of retching. It was John’s beer pong partner, and he was being held up by two of the frat brothers. John gave you an apologetic look.  
“I know it’s a long shot, but if you want some peace and quiet my room is upstairs, third on the left.” His hands left your ass, rushing to help get his friend out the back door. Without John, the makeshift dance floor was not very appealing since you were not drunk enough to find many of the guys attractive.   
You checked your phone. A few texts from Peggy, all assuring you she was safe and sound. A few more graphic than others, but you were used to it. Once you had exhausted all your social media, you sighed. Why the fuck not, you thought, climbing the stairs.

John’s room was sparsely decorated, but he had a huge rug in the middle. The lighting was almost too nice. You looked up.  
A skylight?  
“Really dude?” You said, echoing your words from the library.  
“Yeah.” John’s voice came from behind you. “I don’t know how I got this room. Lucky, I guess.”  
“How’s your friend?” You sat on the plush rug, running your fingers across it. The alcohol was starting to hit, and you laid all the way down, stretching out.  
“He’s fine, but this shirt is toast.” He carefully pulled it off his body, giving you a glimpse of his chest. You glanced away, but not fast enough for him to miss the look on your face. Smirking, he grabbed a sweatshirt and laid down next to you.   
It started to snow, obscuring your view through the skylight. John grabbed a bottle of rum off the top of a tower of books, offering it to you. You took a swig.  
“I wouldn’t peg you as a frat guy,” you said, gesturing to the notes scattered on his desk.  
“Hey, rude.” He tried to look offended, but cracked a smile.  
“Okay, but not this frat in particular. They’re not known for being the most intelligent. I mean, you did fall asleep in the library, but I figured it wasn’t from boredom.”  
“Someone’s got to keep them in line. We have study sessions on Thursdays.” You raised your eyebrows questioningly. “…then we drink,” he admitted. You laughed louder than you had intended, quickly covering your mouth in shock. John seemed to find this hilarious, and passed you the rum again.  
“Your laugh is amazing.” You were thankful that your face was already flushed from drinking, because you couldn’t stop the blush that crept up your cheeks. A small giggle escaped you, but you didn’t try to stop it. John tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear. “What’s this about being able to hold your own?”  
You punched him in the arm. “I don’t usually leave the party for long enough to let it hit me. I’m careful. My guard comes down when I’m back in my own room.”  
His face fell. “I can’t say I understand, but I hope that our house is at least a safe place for you and your friends.” He rolled onto his back and looked at the stars.   
You placed your hand in his, letting out a sigh. “If you want to talk about privilege, we can. But I was referring to my ability to keep myself together at someone else’s house. I refuse to earn a reputation for getting shitty and ruining parties.” He was silent for a while, and you could tell something was still bothering him, but you found yourself too tired to dig deeper. Scooting closer, you leaned your head against his shoulder. His body relaxed, and you smiled.   
“I just worry. Some of the guys at my old college were awful.” He seemed to shake himself. “But all my brothers are great, if a little thick.”  
You nodded, yawning. John got up and you made a noise of protest, missing his warmth.  
The last thing you remembered before drifting off to sleep was pillow being tucked under your head and a soft blanket being pulled over your body.


End file.
